Friday, 6 July 2012

Hack 'N' Slash Hero: Epilogue

Raising the crystal orbs of the
Strength of Ages aloft, you feel the unadulterated power of the
stones swelling within you. Pure white light ripples around your
fists, equipping you with the power to end the fight once and for
all.

“You won't stop, will you?” says
the Afflictor, gripping his trident defiantly. “Not even if it
means losing what really matters.”

You stare impassively back at the
leader of the dark horde.

“So be it, hero,” snarls the
Afflictor.

You launch yourself at your enemy. The
Afflictor raises his weapon to block your attack, but the power of
the Strength of Ages is unstoppable. Colliding with the creature, you
surge upwards into the air, high above the city. Suspended in the
sky, you hurl your nemesis upwards into the atmosphere and unleash
the full of might of your ethereal powers in a beam of destructive
energy.

The Afflictor howls hideously as he is
torn apart, obliterated and annihilated, the fragments of his body
burning up in a blaze of holy fire As you descend back down, you see
the scourge of the Affliction fading from the planet's surface. The
men and women in the city below rejoice as they are freed from their
parasitical captivity, cheering as your feet touch back down on the
ground.

You've done it – you've defeated the
Affliction.

You turn to look at Jamie, only to
realise that you are alone in your bedroom, the victory fanfare
playing tinnily out from the television's speakers.

The front door slams below.

Throwing down the controller, you run
to the window. Looking down on the garden below, you see Jamie
walking briskly along the path, face screwed up into a thunderous
scowl.

Grabbing your jacket, you fly down the
stairs, bursting out of the house.

Heart pounding, you run down the
street. Jamie is turning the corner...

You've won the battle and completed the
quest...

...but now you're really gonna have to
fight...

...if you don't want to be a loser.

THE END

Didn't vote for that ending? Want to
see how the story could have ended? Read the alternative conclusion
to Hack 'N' Slash Hero below!

The crystal orbs of the Strength of
Ages fall from your hands, rolling away across the floor, the light
fading within them.

The Afflictor cackles with glee.

“You fool,” he chortles with
venomous mirth. “Everything you've done has been for nothing –
you have failed.”

The grizzled giant slams his trident
down, pinning you to the ground and mashing your body to a pulp.

“And now I will show you the wages of
your idiocy,” snarls the Afflictor, raising a clawed hand into the
air. A cloud of darkness pours from his fingertips, gathering
together, images wavering on its surface.

You see countless towns and villages
fall under the wrath of the Affliction, brave men and women fighting
and dying. The countryside is reduced to a barren wasteland, the land
dried up, no sign of anything green or living. The entire planet is
blackened, an orb of darkness floating in the void.

“These are your wages,” says the
Afflictor. “No one can stand in my way.”

You've stopped listening.

In fact, you don't even care.

You were halfway out the door before
the 'game over' lettering appeared on the screen.

Jamie smiles at you as you walk out of
the front door and along the path, your heart almost erupting as your
love takes your hand.

You've failed the quest, but you're
still a winner.

THE END

Thanks for playing Hack 'N' Slash
Hero! If you have any comments on the adventure, feel free to send me
a tweet or share your thoughts below. I hope you've enjoyed playing
the adventure as much as I've enjoyed creating it!